Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

To make the granola, in a very large bowl, combine the oats, pepitas, walnuts and flax seeds and set aside. In a saucepan, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, honey, syrup, oil, water, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the oat mixture. Toss to evenly coat. Pour out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out into an even layer. Bake until golden brown, about 40 to 50 minutes, making sure to stir every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

To make the waffles, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt until evenly combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, rum (if using), and butter. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Do not over-mix. Allow to rest while you heat up your waffle iron.

Spray your hot iron with cooking spray and drop about 1/3 cup of batter into each cavity. Cook according to your waffle iron directions. Transfer the cooked waffles onto a wire rack to prevent them from getting soggy while you cook the rest.

Serve the waffles warm with a sprinkling of granola, fresh cream or yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy!